Vehicle actuated controller for sound reproducer



June 7, 1960 M. B. BEATTIE 2,939,711

VEHICLE ACTUATED CONTROLLER FOR SOUND REPRODUCER Filed June 24. 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

A T TORNE K5 June 7, 1960 M."B. BEATTIE 2,939,711

VEHICLE ACTUATED CONTROLLER FOR SOUND REPRODUCER Filed June 24. 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BY NW` ATTURNEYJ This invention relates toUnited Se@ i0.

VEHrcLnAcrATED CONTROLLER non soUND 4REPRODUCER Malcolm B. Beattie, 166Pearsall Drive, Mount Veuox1,'N'.Y. Filed June 24, .1953,Se`rtl`4.\.163,`897` 's claims (Cioni-1)" i controls for "sound reproducingapparatus. l

When persons are visiting national parks and other places of interestalong a highway, the trip can be vmueh more enjoyable and educational ifthe tourists are accompanied by someone familiar with the scenery andthe history of the places along the highway. In order to obtain thisinformation in some parks and cities there Vare sight-seeing tours wherevisitors are herded into busses and make guided tours with an announcerpointing out the places ofinterestV and describing past eventsconcerning them.

It is 'an object of this invention toprovide apparatus 'whereby la soundrecord, such as 'a reel of magnetic tape,

can be played in a private passenger car, using the audio stages of thecar radio, "and the playing correlated 'with the distance traveled bythevehicle, so 'as to describe "the places and sceneryalon'g aparticu'larhighway forwhich the record is intended. In order to have thedescriptions coincide with the passing of places described, thisinvention controls the operation of the sound 'reproducer in accordancewith the mileage traveled along the highway.

Since some motorists drive faster than others, it is not practical tomake the duration of the descriptions dependent upon mileage. In itspreferred construction,'the invention starts each discourse of the soundrecord in accordance with the mileage traveled by the vehicle along thehighway, Avand stops the vsoundrecorder' 'at the end of the `discourseindependently of the vehicle speed or mileage.

Another object of the invention is to control I4a sound reproducer `fromthe odometer of a rnotor `car or other vehicle; and to provide a timer,independent of theodometer, for stopping the sound reproducer. Otherobjects ofv the invention relate to the production of a control stripfor the `apparatus and tothe structureof the 'control strip itself.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear orbe pointed out as the 'description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like referencecharacters 'indicate corresponding parts in all the views;

Fig. l is a view, partly in section, showing the 'location indicator andswitch means of the invention, together 'with the driving mechanism forthe v'location indicator;

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of a portion ofthe apparatus 'shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the location indicator and switch meansshown in Fig. AZ, the view being taken at the line 3-3 olf Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view `ofone`of theV strips'ofsh'eetma'- terial usedwith the location indicator for opening and closing va control circuit;

Fig. 5 -is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on the 'line5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the starting switch andtiming mechanism of thewinvention;

2,939,711 Patented Junej7,

Fig.` 7 is- -a top" plan view of the'structure showniin Fiat;

Fig. 8 is an `enlarged `se'c'tional'vicw taken on the line S--S of Fig.7; and

Fig. 9 isa wiring diagram for the invention.

Fig. `1 shows a speedometer 11 having an Vodometer F12 driven by ashafty'13. At the bottom of the shaft 13 there is a coupling-i4 with a socket15 for receiving a com plementaiy end iitting lo of a ilexible shaftsuch as cornh monly -used for driving a speedometer.`

The end iitting 16 and its liexible shaft maybe fconnected with'thetransmission of a motor car, or with some other part of a vehiclewhichoperates asa unitwit'h 'the road lwhe-els 'of the vehicle. The endfitting 16 is there fore, connected at least `indirectly to a `road,wheel.

In orderto connect the apparatus of this inventiont the odometer and itsdriving mechanism, the end fitting 16 islowered enough to connect apower take-oit "18 Vto the -lower end of the speedometer. This `powertake-off contains a shaft 2d with an upper end corresponding to the endltting 16. This upper end of the shaft '20 tits into the socket 15 whenthe `housing of the power take-off 18 is connected to the lower 'end ofthe speedometer V11. At the lower end of the shaft 20 there is a socket22 corresponding to the socket 1'5 of the speedometer, and into whichtheend fitting 16 extends,

A'lhou'sing 23 of the flexible cable is attached to the lower end of thepower take-olf 18 in the same way as it was previously `attached 'to thelower end of the speedometer 1-1. The power takeoff contains bevelgearsyzfl which transmit rotation from the 'shaft 20 to a flexible drive:shaft 26. Y

The upper end of the flexible drive shaft 26 is con;- nected,`ithrou`gha speed reducer, with a short shaft 27 whichiro't'ates in a bearing Z8'attachedto a base plate 2'9. There are two other bearings 31 and '32attached to the base plate 29, and there is a lead lscrew 33 which hassmooth `end Vportions journalled in the bearings 31 and 32.

' The short shaft A27 is connected with the lead screw T33 by a coupling35 made "of electrical insulating material. The `electric current issupplied tothe lead screw by a conductor3'6 attached tothe bearing 31.

A location indicator 38 extends around the lead screw 33 and is freelymovable along 'the lead screw, the bearing surface of the locationindicator having substantially the same diameteras the outside diameterof the lead screw threadsl 'In order to `shift the location indicator 3Salong .the lead screw, there is `a threaded rider 40 with portions onboth sides ofthe location Vindicator hub and adjacentto the lead screw33. This threaded'rider 40 is'attached .to the Alocation indicator `38Ilay pivot pins 42 so that the :rider can Vmove into .and out ofengagement with the threads `of the lead screw without moving thelocation indicator 38.

The construction and 'operation of 'the irider 40 is best shown inFigure 5. In that `figure, the rider `40 `is shown, in full lines, 4inengagement with the lead 'screw 33. From this position the `rider'40`can be swung Yinto the `dot-and-'dash -lineposition where `it is clearof the lead screw threads lso `that the location .indicator `38, 'andits :rider 40, 'can be shifted vas 'a Vunit along Vthe vl'ead screw '33.Y

The :rider `l0 yhas a spring '44 which holols the `rider 40in'engagernent with the lead screw .33, or in its Sele vated,'disengaged position. The spring 44 is'locate'd so that it `movesYbeyond fa dead center positionto hold the rider at either end of .itsrange of movementaround the pivot `pins V42.

AReferring again to -Figure 42, there ris fa-conductor plate 47 lsecuredto the base `plate .29, and lthercvis fa `movable contact or brush `48projecting downwardly Afrom VtheY contacts withvthe conductor plate 47to close an electric circuit to a starting switch.

In order to control the closing of this circuit, there is a highwaycontrol strip 50 placed on top of the conductor plate 47 and held inplace by studs 51 which project Vupwardly from the conductor` strip 47.This highway control strip 50 is best shown in Fig. 4. It has legends 53identifying towns on the particular highway on which it is to be used,and it has a scale 54 showing mileage alQIlgthe highway. This scale isused to set a location indicator 38 when starting along the highway orwhen ,a vehicle cornes on the highway from some junction which does notcorrespond with the beginning of the strip 50.

v The highway control strip 50 has holes 52 which have substantially thesame diameter as the studs 51 so that the control strip is held by thesestuds in accurate relation to the lead `screw 33. This highway controlstrip 50 has openings 55 extending through it. These openings are largeenough to permit the brush 48 (Fig. 2) to contact with the conductorplate 47; and the left hand end of each of the openings 55 is locatedalong the mileage scale at a point corresponding with the arrival of thevehicle at some particular point of interest at which it is desirable tohave the sound reproducer start a discourse. The stopping, of the soundreproducer is effected by switch means other than the brush 48, and thelength of the openings 55 does not have to correspond to the length ofthe discourse. However, the openings 55 must be long enough to maintaina power supply to the apparatus while the reproducer is operating.Additional length of the openings 55 does no harm.

A conductor 57 connects one end of the conductor plate 47 to a starterswitch 59 (Fig. 6). 'This starter switch 59 includes a hub 60 supportedby a ball and socket bearing 61 on which the hub 60 is movable with bothvertical and horizontal components. An arm 63 extends from the hub 60and has an abutment 64 at its free end.

The abutment 64 is located above the orbit of another abutment 66secured to a timing gear 67 at a xed location on the timing gear. Aspring 68 urges the hub 60 clockwise about a horizontal axis to normallymaintain the abutment 64 in an elevated position above the orbittraveled by the timing gear abutment 66.

, The starting switch 59 includes a fixed contact 71, best shown in Fig.7; and a movable contact 72 which is fixed to the arm 63. The spring 68slopes at an angle so as to urge the hub 60 and arm 63 to move clockwiseabove a vertical axis. This bias holds the contact 72 against the ilxedcontact 71 of the starting switch.

The xed contact 71 is carried by a stud 74 supported by a bushing 75made of insulating material and mounted in a top wall 76 of a controllercabinet 77, which is preferably of non-magnetizable material. The lowerend of the stud 74 is connected with a conductor 78. The xed contact 71,at the upper end of the stud 74, is connected to the conductor 57 byanother conductor 79, through a terminal block 80. The movable contact72* of the starting switch is connected by a conductor 81 to a terminalof the timer motor 82.

The 'conductor 78 leads to a magnetizing coil 86 surrounding a shaft 87which is the axle of the timing gear 67. The other end' of themagnetizing coil 86 is connected with a source of power through aconductor 89.

The armature shaft 90 of the motor 82 has a pinion 91 which meshes withteeth on the periphery of the timing gear 67. The diameter'of-the timinggear` 67 is several times larger than that of the pinion 91 so that themotor 82 makes a number of revolutions for each revolution of the timergear 67." VThe pinion 91 driving the larger gear .67 is merelyrepresentative of speed reducing mechanism for moving the abutment 66around its orbit at a substantially slower speed than the motor 82.

t The lower end of the armature shaft extends through preferably onehaving magnetic tape records, with synchronized marks on themcorresponding with the mileage indications on the control strip 50. Itwill be understood that there is a separate sound record correspondingto each highway control strip though some of the records may be on thesame'magnetic tape. In order to make the sound reproducer lessexpensive, it can be connected with the audio stages of the radioV inthe car; but the construction of the sound reproducer and the amplifierfor it form no part of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram for the invention. A battery 96, preferablythe starter battery of the car, has one terminal connected with theconductor 36. The other terminal of the battery 96 is connected with theconductor 89 leading from the magnetic coil 86, and is also connected toone terminal of the motor 82 which is in a parallel circuit with themagnetizing coil 86. TheV sound reproducer 94 is supplied with power, tooperate its reproducing head, by conductors 98 andv 99, connected in thecircuit across the motor 82 so that power is supplied to the soundreproducer only when the power is supplied to the motor 82. Figure 9shows the sound reproducer 94 connected with a radio 100 which ispreferably the radio of the car in which the invention is used.

When the circuits, shown in Figure 9, are in their normal condition, thesupply of power from the battery 96 is interrupted at the locationindicator 38 by the presence of a control strip 50 between the locationindicator 38 and the contact plate 47. The starting switch 59 is closedbut it receives no power from the conductor 57.

Whenever the location indicator 38 reaches one of the openings throughthe control strip S0, and brush 48 makes contact through this openingwith this conductor plate y47, a circuit is established from the battery96, through the conductor 36, lead screw 33, location inn dicator 38,brush 48, contact plate 47, conductor 57, ter minal block 80, andconductors 79 and 78 to themagnetizing coil 86, which is connected atits other side to the battery 96 by the conductor 89. Since'the startingswitch 59 is normally closed, another circuit is established from theconductor 79 through the contracts 71 and 72 of the starting switch,land conductor 81, to the motor 82. This same conductor 81 also suppliespower through the conductor `98 to the sound reproducer 94.

. The energizing of these circuits causes the coil 86 to magnetize theaxle 87 so that the arm 63 (Fig. 6) is drawn down to bring its abutment64 into the orbit ofthe timer abutment 66, 4as previouslycexplained. Themotor 82 runs and operates both the sound reproducer and the timinggear67. The discourse on the magnetic tape, corresponding to the particularopening on the control strip, is brought to the occupants of the car.After the discourse `is completed, the time depending upon the length of[the discourse, the timer gear 67 brings the abutment 66 into contactwith the abutment 64 of the arm 63 and opens the starting switch 59. ltwill be understood that the length of the discourse must not be longerthan the time required for the timing gear 67 to make one revolution.

When -the starting switch 59 is opened, the supply of power to the motor82 and sound reproducer 94V is shut oli but the supply of current to themagnetizing coil is not interrupted until the lead screw 33 has movedthe location indicator 38 beyond the end of the opening in the highwaycontrol strip.

'This interruption of the circuit of the magnetizing coil 86 permits thespring 68 (Figs. 6 and 7) toY pull the arm 63 upward into its normalYraised position. As Vsoon as the abutment 64 is high enough to clear thetimer gear abutment 66, the spring 68 pulls the arm 63 clockwise `andbrings the movable contact 72 against the fixed contact 71 to againclose the starting switch 59. VThis movement of the arm 63 carries theabutment 64 across the top of the timer gear abutment 66 so that thenext time the timer gear is magnetzed the abutment 64 isv drawndownwardly behind the abutment 66. The timer gear 67 can then makesubstantially a full revolution before its abutment 66 will again openthe starting switch 59.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed. Terms of orientation are, of course, relative; and much ofthe illustration is diagrammatic. Changes `and modifications can be madewithout departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Controller means for a sound reproducer carried by a vehicle,including a location indicator in the vehicle and moved along a courseby mechanism operated from a wheel of the vehicle, a location controlcard of insulating material with legends thereon indicating locationsalong a route to be traveled and with openings therethrough at selectedplaces along the route, means for holding said card in a predeterminedfixed location with respect to said mechanism that moves the locationindioator, an electrical conductor under the card, and extending forsubstantially the full length of the card, another condnctor carried bythe location indicator in position to touch the conductor under the cardwhenever the indicator reaches one of the openings in the card, acontrol circuit for the sound reproducer, opened and closed by contactof the location indicator conductor with the conductor below the card,an electric switch having a bias toward closed position and located inthe sound reproducer circuit, and operating means for opening saidswitch after the end of a discourse by the sound reproducer, saidoperating means including a timer and an abutment actuated by the timer,and means energized by the control circuit for making said abutmenteffective to open said switch and thereby stop the sound reproducer.

2. The controller means described in claim 1 and in which the deviceactuated by the timer includes an abutment which moves in an orbit thatpasses another abutment connected to the switch, and there is a springurging one of the abutments into position to pass the other abutment,and the means energized by the control circuit is a magnet that pullsthe abutment which is urged by the spring into position to strike theother abutment at the end of a cycle of operation of the timer, andconduc- 6 tors which supply power to the magnet from said controlcircuit when the conductor on the location indicator is in contact withthe conductor located under the card.

3. Apparatus for controlling the operation of a sound reproducer atpredetermined locations along a road, said apparatus including asupport, a mileage card secured to the support in a fixed positionthereon and having openings therein and areas of the card separating thedilerent openings from one another, the openings being disposed in a rowextending lengthwise 'of the card and the beginning of each openingcorresponding to a particular location along the road to which the cardcorresponds, a traveller movable along a course parallel to the lengthof the mileage card, mechanism for operation from a wheel of a vehiclein which the sound reproducer is installed, said mechanism includingmotion transmitting connections that move the traveller along the cardin proportion to the distance travelled by the vehicle, a soundreproducer having a motor for operating it, electric switch means thatare advanced along the row of mileage card openings by the traveller,part of the switch means being in position to be operated by theengagement in said openings to supply power to start the operation ofthe sound reproducer, an automatic stop for stopping the soundreproducer at the end of a predetermined period of operation of thesound reproducer, and an abutment movable in response to passage of thetraveller, along the parts of its course corresponding to the areasbetween card openings, for conditioning the sound reproducer to startits next discourse when said switch means engagesthe next opening in themileage card.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,168,053 Boyden Jan. 1l, 1916 1,411,472 Bovie Apr. 4, 1922 1,553,194Slowey Sept. 8, 1925 1,906,943 Fisher et al May 3, 1933 2,422,887 Beunteet al June 8, 1948 2,639,924 Bush May 26, 1953 2,669,457 Culbertson Feb.16, 1954 2,714,010 Gruber et al July 26, 1955

